Box © 2014 Tarik Abdel-Gawad, Bot & Dolly
Play Video
Box © 2014 Tarik Abdel-Gawad, Bot & Dolly
Little Freak
Little Freak © 2014 Edwin Schaap, HKU
Rugbybugs
Rugbybugs © 2014 Carl Schroeter, Fabian Fricke, Emanuel Fuchs, Martin Lapp, Matthias Baeuerle, Institute Of Animation, Visual Effects and Digital Postproduction, Filmakademie Baden-Wuerttemberg
Ryse: Son of Rome
Ryse: Son of Rome © 2014 Crytek

Computer Animation Festival

Submission Deadline

Tuesday, 3 March 2015

22:00 UTC/GMT

Convert to your time zone »

The SIGGRAPH 2015 Computer Animation Festival is gearing up to add another outstanding show to its legacy of creative expression through innovative computer-generated animation and visual effects. This international showcase of storytelling and graphics craftsmanship will inspire students and professionals alike, and now is your chance to be part of it! Comprised of student projects, game cinematics, blockbuster visual effects, animated shorts and features, and much, much more, this is sure to be the highlight of the SIGGRAPH 2015 experience – a show you will not want to miss!

Online submission forms must be completed no later than 3 March 2015, 22:00 UTC/GMT.

The festival accepts submissions in seven distinct categories:

1. Computer Animation Shorts
All forms of animated short pieces that contain a significant percentage of computer-generated imagery and/or digital production and are not specifically suited to one of the other submission categories. This includes independent shorts, character animation, sponsored creative explorations, narrative and experimental works, and opening sequences. Shorts of any length may be submitted, but the Computer Animation Festival reserves the right to show only excerpts of selected works at the jury's discretion.

2. Games
PC, web, console, or mobile game excerpts, machinima, and demoscene animations that are visually stunning and/or creatively engaging. This includes both real-time rendering of in-game work, cut scenes, and cinematics as well as pre-rendered cut-scenes and cinematics. If your real-time work is interactive, consider also submitting it to Real-Time Live!

3. Animated Feature Films
Selections and/or montages of computer animation created for animated feature films.

4. Visual Effects for Live-Action Feature Films
Selections and/or montages of visual effects created for live-action feature films.

5. Music Videos
Commissioned and/or independent works that use any combination of computer animation, digital effects, and live action to illustrate, enhance, and/or complement a musical creation. 

6. Advertising
Advertisements or other projects created entirely or partially with computer animation and/or digital effects for display on television or the internet. This could include commercials, promotional spots, broadcast bumpers and graphics, public-service announcements, documentary projects, and selections and/or montages of animated television series. 

7. Visualizations and Simulations
Computer animations created to explain, analyze, or visualize information for applications including scientific research, architecture, engineering, systems simulations, education, and documentary projects.

The Computer Animation Festival reserves the right to place entries in the category that is most appropriate. Stereo 3D work will be considered and can be entered in any of the above categories. We encourage shot breakdowns to fully illustrate the amount of CG work involved where submissions are photo-real.

The Computer Animation Festival is recognized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as a qualifying festival. Since 1999, several works originally presented in the Computer Animation Festival have been nominated for or have received a Best Animated Short Academy Award.

  • Submitters must complete the ACM rights-management process when they submit their work to SIGGRAPH 2015. In previous years, the rights-management form was not required until after submissions were accepted, which often delayed effective promotion of conference programs and events. The new rights-management process will eliminate that delay and enhance conference marketing efforts.
  • We are now accepting only high-definition submissions. No standard-definition submissions will be allowed. Please see our High-Definition Submission Guidelines in the How to Submit section for detailed specifications.
  • The Computer Animation Festival will be presenting an award for Best in Show as well as prizes for Jury's Choice and best of each submission category.

​Qualification

To qualify for the SIGGRAPH 2015 Computer Animation Festival Competition, each submission must:

  • Be a complete, finished work.
  • Have been completed after 1 January 2014.
  • Include a significant percentage or inventive use of computer-generated imagery and/or digital production.
  • Be uploaded at final resolution at time of submission.
  • Be submitted in the appropriate category. 

The Computer Animation Festival reserves the right to place submissions in a different category if deemed appropriate by the festival subcommittee and/or jury. Shorts of any length may be submitted, but the Computer Animation Festival reserves the right to show only excerpts of selected works at the jury’s discretion. SIGGRAPH 2015 Computer Animation Festival policy requires that the total time for end titles and credits together is no longer than seven seconds.

How to Submit

1. Complete the SIGGRAPH 2015 Computer Animation Festival Films online submission form (one form per entry) via the SIGGRAPH Information System by the 3 March 2015, 22:00 UTC/GMT deadline. All submitters must create a SIGGRAPH Information System account to access the submission form, which will be available in January. You may edit or correct the information included with your form as many times as needed before the submission deadline. Each entry will be assigned a Submission ID number by the online submission system.

Important: All descriptions, captions, and notes to the jury must be in English. If your first language is not English and you need help translating, please consider the English Review Service.

2. Upload three representative still images from the submitted work. Each image must be 1K pixel resolution or higher. JPG images saved at the highest quality possible are preferred.

3. Upload a movie file for the jury to evaluate your work. You must upload your project only once, and at final resolution. High-definition submissions are required. We will be using Quicktime and VLC to evaluate your work, so we recommend testing playback of your files in these media players before submission.

The Computer Animation festival requires each submission to include a slate. Download this HD Slate and use it to provide the following information:

  • Project title (must match project title on submission form)
  • Frame rate
  • Raster size
  • Compression codec
  • Duration from first frame to last frame (minutes:seconds:frames), not including slate and black slug
  • Audio configuration (for example, stereo 5.1)
  • Computer Animation Festival Submission ID number

The above information should be presented in the following order: five seconds slate, five seconds black, submission start, two seconds black. Exactly two seconds before the first frame of the work and after the last frame of the work, there should be an audio and visual 2-pop cue, unless the submission is submitted in DCP format. Please do not include 2-pop cues in DCP files.

High-Definition (HD) Submission Guidelines

Accepted Video Codecs:

Accepted NTSC Video Wrappers:

  • Quicktime


Accepted Video Resolutions:

  • 
1080p (1920x1080p) Preferred
  • 
1080i (1920x1080i)
  • 
720p (1280x720p)

  • 
Both pillar boxing and letter boxing are OK.

Accepted Frame Rate:

  • 
23.98 fps (Preferred)
  • 
24 fps
  • 25 fps
  • 30 (29.97) fps
  • 
60i (59.94i) fps

Accepted Audio Configurations:

  • Stereo (Lt-Rt 2-channel mix)
  • 
NOTE: 5.1 (MUST ALSO INCLUDE a stereo L-R downmix)

  • 10-bit linear PCM or 16-bit PCM for each channel
  • Audio Rate: 48 kHz  

Advanced High-Definition (HD) Submission Guidelines

5.1 (MUST ALSO INCLUDE a stereo L-R downmix)  
The channel assignment for clips with 5.1 should be as follows:


  • 
1 -- left 

  • 
2 -- right 

  • 3 -- center
  • 4 -- LFE
  • 5 -- left surround
  • 6 -- right surround
  • 7 -- left stereo mix
  • 8 -- right stereo mix

OR

Stereo with the following channel assignments: 

  • 1 – Left stereo mix
  • 2 – Right stereo mix



Accepted Color Space: 
Rec 709

Stereo 3D Submission Guidelines


Resolution:

  • Current screen size and Cinema server will accommodate up to 2048x01080 DCP raster sizes.
  • Acceptable aspect ratios include 1.78 (1920x1080), 1.85 (1998x1080), or 2.39 (2048x858) aspect ratios.

Frame rate:

  • 24.00 or 48.00 fps ONLY

File format:

Sound:
Either 5.1 or A Stereo L-R downmix with labeled channels is required.
The channel assignment for clipswith 5.1 should be:

  • 1 -- left
  • 2 -- right
  • 3 -- center
  • 4 -- LFE
  • 5 -- left surround
  • 6 -- right surround

OR

  • 1 -- left stereo mix
  • 2 -- right stereo mix

Audio Rate:

  • 48 kHz, and sound format should be 10-bit linear PCM for each channel.

Uploading Files
If you have problems uploading your files to the SIGGRAPH 2015 online submission system, the cause could be that your server is behind a "firewall", subject to a system that is proxying https connections. Please ask your IT department if they can disable the https proxy so you can complete your submission. If you have any questions about uploading files, please review the Computer Animation Festival Frequently Asked Questions (tab above). If you do not find the answer to your question there, feel free to contact the Computer Animation Festival Technical Director. We will be happy to help.

Non-native English speakers may use the English Review Service to help improve the text of submissions. Please note that this process takes time, so plan far ahead.

Educator’s Resources Submission option. Those submitting content to a SIGGRAPH conference have the option of donating materials of educational value to ACM SIGGRAPH online resources for the benefit of the education community. Learn more

Festival Juries

All submitted entries are evaluated by two juries of individuals from the technical, creative, and production communities. The list of jurors will be available here in late May after the selection process is complete.

A Pre-Selection Jury views and ranks the entries submitted in each of the categories. Pre-selected submissions move on to the Festival Jury. The Festival Jury is composed of eight jurors (plus two alternate jurors) who review and rank the entries that passed the pre-selection process.

Submitters will be informed by email of the status of their submissions only after the Festival Jury makes its final decisions. All participants will be notified of their status no later than 30 May 2015. The Festival Jury selects the recipients of the Best in Show Award, the Jury's Choice Prize, and the best-of-category prizes.

Notification

All Computer Animation Festival submitters will be notified by email of the status of their submission(s) on or before 30 May 2015. Each year, we receive far more submitted pieces than we can accept, and we are not able to accept many deserving pieces.

If Your Work is Accepted

The period of time between the Computer Animation Festival jury meeting and the SIGGRAPH 2015 conference is very short, and many things happen in that time. If your work is selected, you will be expected to reply promptly to any request for information or clarification from the Computer Animation Festival Subcommittee. It is unlikely that we will need to contact you regarding your work after your notification, but please plan to be available via email during the first two weeks of May, in case a need arises.

Preparation of Final Movie

Entrants are required to submit their completed work at full resolution (HD is required) at the time of entry. Unlike previous years, the SIGGRAPH 2015 Computer Animation Festival does not require accepted films to be uploaded a second time.

Contributor and Presenter Recognition

If you wish to attend SIGGRAPH 2015, registration and travel costs are at your own expense. See the SIGGRAPH 2015 Recognition Policy for a summary of what you will receive if your work is accepted by SIGGRAPH 2015.

The Computer Animation Festival online submission system is available from 19 January 2015 through 3 March 2015.

26 January
Computer Animation Festival submission begins.

3 March
Computer Animation Festival submission period closes, 22:00 UTC/GMT.

29 May
Computer Animation Festival submitters notified.

9-13 August
SIGGRAPH 2015, Los Angeles.

I have submitted my work to the most recent SIGGRAPH and SIGGRAPH Asia Computer Animation Festivals. Is it OK if I submit the same work to the SIGGRAPH 2015 Computer Animation Festival?
Yes. You can submit the same work to SIGGRAPH 2015, as long as it was completed on 1 January 2014, or later. We are independent festivals with separate juries and acceptance procedures.

Do submissions have to be 3D animations?
Absolutely not. We generally feature works where the computer was essential to the creation of the work, but there is no specific requirement that it be 3D. All forms of computer animation are eligible including, but not limited to: 3D computer animation, 2D animation, visual effects and live action, real-time videogame play, visualizations, and digitally manipulated imagery and video. If you have computer-generated work within a larger piece, we request that you call our attention specifically to the portion where the computer was heavily used.

How many works can I submit to the SIGGRAPH 2015 Computer Animation Festival?
There is no limit. You may submit as many as you like. Make sure that you complete a separate submission form for each work.

Is there a submission fee for submitting to the SIGGRAPH 2015 Computer Animation Festival?
No. You only need to complete the online submission process.

Can I submit the same piece to both the Computer Animation Festival and to Talks or the Art Gallery, or any other SIGGRAPH 2015 programs?
You are welcome to submit pieces to the Computer Animation Festival and submit related work to other programs. Each submission requires a separate online form, however. The Computer Animation Festival film submissions should all be movies that can be viewed. If your piece requires interactivity, or if it requires an accompanying presentation to be understood, please consider one of the other programs.

I have an art animation (abstract or experimental). Should I submit it to the Art Gallery or to the Computer Animation Festival?
All animation submissions should be submitted to the Computer Animation Festival.

Where do I send my submission materials?
All works must be submitted via the SIGGRAPH 2015 online submission system. The online submission process allows submitters easy access to the online submission system, eliminates time-consuming shipping and mailing, and provides an efficient procedure for reviewing submitted work. 

Can I enter my work through Withoutabox?
The Computer Animation Festival does not accept submissions through Withoutabox.  All works must be submitted via the SIGGRAPH 2015 online submission system.

When is the submission deadline for the Computer Animation Festival?
Online submission forms and accompanying uploads must be completed no later than 3 March 2015, 22:00 UTC/GMT (convert to your time zone).  Submissions received after the deadline will not be reviewed.

I will not have my work finished by the submission deadline. Is it possible for me to submit "work in progress" for reviewing?
No.  The SIGGRAPH 2015 Computer Animation Festival reviews only finished projects.  The file you upload at the time of entry is the file that will be shown at SIGGRAPH 2015, if your work is accepted.

We are an art school, and we are planning to submit several student works as one submission. Is this OK?
No. Each piece must be uploaded separately to the online submission system along with its own completed and signed submission form. Each piece is judged on its own merit.

I am a student, and there is no longer a Student Projects category.  Where should I enter it?
All student work should be submitted under the category that most closely describes it. Please then make sure to select the “Student Project” checkbox during your submission process, so that your work may be considered not only for the Best of Show award, Jury’s Choice prize, and Best of category prizes, but also for the Best Student Project prize.

What file formats are acceptable for submission?
HD files are required. Please see the How to Submit guidelines (tab above) for other file format details.

What criteria will the jury use to select works?
Jurors are expected to select the highest quality works from among those submitted. We will take into consideration the technical aspects of the piece, the visual interest, and for story-based projects the storytelling. However, our primary criterion is to select the pieces we feel will form the strongest show.

What is the difference between the juried program and the curated program?
The juried program presents work selected by the jury that represents the best computer-generated film and video in the world. The curated program is used to round out the program by inviting special presentations of pieces on chosen topics.

Why must the credits be no more than seven seconds?
To maintain the pace of the program for the sake of our attendees, SIGGRAPH 2015 Computer Animation Festival policy requires that all credit sections for accepted entries must be seven seconds or less.

My animation makes use of commercially recorded music. Is that OK?
You are responsible for securing the necessary permissions and licenses for audio material that is contained in your work. If your music was not created originally for your film or video, or if you are using another person's music, you must obtain the necessary permissions or required licenses. We will not purchase these rights for you.

If my work is selected for the Computer Animation Festival, will SIGGRAPH 2015 pay for my accommodation and travel expenses?
No. You are responsible for your accommodation and travel expenses. For details, please refer to the Presenter Recognition Policy.

Why are your technical requirements so specific?
The technical requirements are very specific to make the submission process more streamlined for you. The submission process utilizes Sohonet digital transfer services. We have carefully selected codecs and resolution formats that are easily accessible to all, offer the highest quality with the least amount of data loss, while offering a much more streamlined post and DI process. This ensures that the material you send us, if accepted, will look amazing on the big screen!

Where can I find information on the DNxHD codec? 
More information regarding Avid's open source codec is available here.